Bhopal, Sep 23 (IANS): Three policemen, including the SHO of Jahangirabad police station, were suspended on Wednesday following an overnight protest by lawyers over the alleged assault of an advocate at the police station.
The action came after around 50 lawyers gathered at Jahangirabad police station on Tuesday night and continued their protest until around 3 am, demanding action against the police officers allegedly involved in the assault of advocate Rakesh Rawal.
The suspended police officers were identified as SHO Rajan Singh Ahirwar and constables Yash Lakhera and Ramswaroop. Officials said they have been attached to the Reserve Centre for the duration of their suspension.
DCP (Zone-1) also ordered a preliminary inquiry into the incident and directed that its report be submitted within seven days.
The issue escalated further on Wednesday, when a large number of advocates staged a protest at the Bhopal district court. The lawyers demanded registration of an FIR against the police officers allegedly involved in the incident and expressed solidarity with Rawal. They also raised slogans demanding action and sought a fair investigation.
According to Rawal (45), he was stopped by police personnel near the Control Room intersection on Tuesday night while looking for an alternative route to Bairagarh.
He alleged that the policemen asked him to accompany them to the police station.
Rawal said he informed them that his vehicle had run out of fuel, following which the police officers allegedly abused him. When he objected, they allegedly threw him into the mud and assaulted him with batons, he claimed.
The lawyers later circulated a video purportedly showing injury marks on Rawal’s legs and mud on his clothes.
Additional Commissioner of Police Shailendra Singh Chauhan said the police were examining the sequence of events and collecting information from all concerned.
“The entire sequence of events is being examined. Information regarding the matter is being collected, and further action will be taken based on the facts,” Chauhan said.
The police have also presented a different account of the incident. Before his suspension, SHO Ahirwar alleged that Rawal had misbehaved with Traffic ACP Ajay Bajpai during the dispute and verbally abused the officer in public despite being advised to stop.
He also claimed that the police had video footage of the incident.
The preliminary inquiry will examine the circumstances in which Rawal was stopped, his interaction with the policemen and the events that followed at the police station.
Chauhan said further action would be decided after the inquiry report is submitted.
